So we just left our final presentations for creative strategy two, good luck everyone! It's a nostalgic feeling being done, well with this class at least, because for most people this was the last required class in the advertising major at FSU. Some people are going on to graduate either Saturday or next semester and good luck to all of you!! To everyone that stays in advertising I hope you find the niche for you and are very happy with your life, and I hope that the things you learned here are helpful. It's interesting to think about "what is helpful" however. I doubt information about White House Black Market, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Braedonton Florida, or the MAster Pool Guild will really be relevant, maybe even some of the creative concepts won't come up int he futre. But remember all those long hours you spent working with your group? Even if at times you hated them and jsut wants to storm out? That's the kind of things that I think will be most helpful. Learning that everyone around you has some kind of talent or strength so no matter what weakness they have which may drive you crazy they were set to work wiht you because they have something valuable to offer. So I guess, in blog closing, the final blog.... good luck to everyone out there in post college land!!

At the beginning of last week it felt like Thursday (presentation day!) was never going to come. Not only did I have a stressful finals week I had a million assignments due the week before, so I have been pulling my hair out for what feels like forever. I am so glad that after my presentation tomorrow I will be done. It sounds weird but my brain is tired! I am looking foward to not thinking for the next couple of days. I am so excited to see everyones presentations tomorrow! I am sure everyone is gonna be awsome...but not as good as my group...haha. See you all bright and early! Good Luck!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

This post is based off of 2 nights of sleep deprivation. Hope it makes sense.

Now that finals week is coming to an end I would like to thank you all for a wonderful semester. You all have been amazing and an absolute joy to be around. I can't say I had a dull moment in class. One of my favorite things were the videos created by some of you as part of kick start. Definitely a plus. As we prepare for tomorrow's presentation I would like to wish all of you the best of luck. I'm sure we'll all get the gold star for the day =). I'd like to leave you with a few words of wisdom: "Shoot for the sky because even if you miss you will be among stars." Never let anyone tell you you are trying to hard, or that you need to think small -inside the box if you will, and even the you need to stop being a perfectionist. They're just jealous!

It's hard to believe the semester is almost over and everything in CCII comes down to Game Day on Thursday. Call it Jump in the Pool Day, Call it the Superbowl of Advertising, College National Championship Day or Ready to Rumble Day, but whatever you call it, remember, it is competition at its best. Plan smart, execute every detail and compent to perfection, practice, practice, practice and ... did I say practice? And when it's your turn to play, play like it's the biggest day of your life. Oh yeah, and enjoy the challenge, learn from it and know whether you "win" or "lose" you will:

Be better, stronger, smarter for it

Live to see another day

Never forget this Thursday (I still remember mine)

As a class, don't forget you are representing FSU. "Sparkle" for our guest "clients". They have flown in for the occasion, so let them know how much you appreciate their participation.

And, lastly, appreciate, respect and support each other. No matter what you thought this class would be like when you started, you have come to realize it was a journey to discover yourself.

To successfully complete this course you had to trust in yourself and each other. You had to practice teaming of the highest order and most of all, you had to learn how to hold yourself and your teammates accountable.

You have learned strengths you may never have known you had. You have discovered weaknesses that only you can fix, if you so choose.

And, you have discovered the opportunities that are waiting for you if you spread your creative wings and fly.

The thing is, when this course in self discovery is over, the journey continues. Fly high, fly where angles fear to tread and by all means, keep flying!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

I must say this class is SO much better the second round. You kind of feel like a pro. All of the things you spent hours on last semester you can knock out in minutes this semester. It's nice knowing what to sweat and what not. Can't wait to see all of the different roads we all have taken with Master Pools Guild on Thursday! Happy last minute working to all!

Monday, December 8, 2008

In the spirit of the holidays...and our final project, I thought I would share my family's "non-traditional" Christmas card. Instead of using our usual, "say cheese and smile at the camera" photo taken on Thanksgiving, my mother decided to be funny and go with the one where we are making "silly" faces. Although my dad preferred the traditional one, I tried to explain to him that it's all about the "non-traditional" these days. (Maybe that's just creative class talking?) Either way, I thought it was amusing.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

I wanted to share with you the article about the teacher that started selling ad space on his tests and quizzes, but Tony beat me to it!

So I read this other article about a Dodge car dealership in Miami that ran an ad. It said “Buy one, get two”.

“To be fair, there is a catch to the buy-one-get-one-free offer: You must first buy a new Dodge truck at full retail price before you're eligible to receive a second truck for about $3,000 in tax, tags and dealer fees.”

They’ve gotten numerous calls from every state in the country about this deal.

“The ad speaks to the desperation of car dealers as Big Three auto manufacturers beg Washington for billions in bailout dollars to combat sales that keep dipping to all-time lows.”

Saturday, December 6, 2008

So, 30 in 60 is having their final show of the semester!! Some of you have mentioned some interest about missing the last one. For those of you who do not know: 30 in 60 is a sketch comedy troupe that does 30 skits in 60 minutes. The audience picks the skit and we do it. If we go over time you win! I've put some pictures up of our rehearsals and shows, enjoy!

So our show is this Sunday @ 7:30 p.m. in Williams Studio Theatre. It is going to be a lot of fun. It's only an hour so it is the perfect study break before a week of finals and projects and papers. Who knows? Maybe your creative juices will be pumped after watching us. Maybe. Come and observe another outlet of creativity and it's FREE. We'll be selling cookies and other goodies. Hope to see you there: Sunday 7:30 p.m., Williams.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

My apartment was broken into this past Thanksgiving weekend. They got in through a window and broke down my bedroom door which was locked. They then preceded to take all of the jewelry I have ever had, ironically, after the summer in which my mother thought it was a good time to pass down all her nice jewelry. I now have nothing except my ring and my watch. The amazing part is that, after the initial shock and anger, I started wondering about the people. I wondered what they thought about while they were in my apartment. Whether or not they noticed the pictures of my nieces and nephews all over my walls or my boxing gloves on the floor. Did they take their time and hang out or was it a speedy entrance and exit. What are they like when they're not stealing from people? Do they have girlfriends? Children? Families?Though I can't really hold it against anyone except the ones who stole from me. No one was hurt, and if they really felt the need to go to that extreme they clearly needed the money more than I did. At least I appreciated the creativity in their execution. Rather than coming in through the bedroom window, which would have been easiest, they boosted what is supposed to be a child, since the window is ridiculously small, through the window. Quite creative.

Okay so you can call me mean if you want but I love seeing horrible ads. I think of it as a growing process and try to take away something from every bad ad I encounter.

Well I recently found a blog (woo, I hope you guys get excited about it) and the whole premise is to talk about advertising campaigns that have failed for whatever reason. It's informative, hilarious, and just a downright good time.

If you guys want to check it out, here's the address! I hope you find it as entertaining as I do!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Earlier today I was "studying" with some friends and we randomly thought of having a Disney social. Random I know. The idea would be to have friends come over and each dress like their favorite Disney character. Crazy right! When I thought more into it I loved the idea more and more. What a great way to get in touch with your inner child. All throughout the semester we've been discussing ways of tamping into our child-like creativity much like the one we enjoyed in our early kindergarten days. After looking at it in this light I enjoyed the idea even more. Why not have a Disney themed get together!!! I know you love it =). For example: I find myself to be much like Pocahontas. Now think to yourself: how would you portray yourself creatively; which character do you relate to most/ if you were a cartoon character which would you be; how would you bring that character to life? Think creatively!!!

October 11th is not only my birthday, but the beginning of my favorite time of year. It's the start of my holiday season, because shortly after that is Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years. I'm huge on holidays and I don't think I'm gonna grow out of it but unfortunately there's been evil forces trying to crush my holiday spirit. For instance, midterms almost always land on my birthday since I've been in college. Then papers are almost always due around Thanksgiving. And now December has begun and naturally I would start counting down till Christmas but I'm afraid to do so because that just means that I'm that much closer to having to turn in a bunch of stuff and take a bunch of exams.

Luckily being with my kindergartners has really brought me back to my holiday spirit. Yesterday we made Christmas frames and it was so great because those kids are just so darn creative. They weren't limiting themselves to using red, green and white. Instead they started mixing the red with white to make pink...purely because they liked the color. It made me sooo happy :)

Britney, Britney, Britney! Shes back baby! Know I am such a huge fan. A few weeks ago I downloaded the Womanizer song and last week I got this thing on iTunes called Genius where it will show you songs that go with the song in your playlist and gives you suggestions for another playlist. So I clicked on Womanizer and realized that the Circus Cd was coming out Dec. 2nd. I was thrilled. Then I did something a little sneaky...I looked at all the songs on the cd and went to limewire and downloaded the whole cd. yeah I know it was illegal, but I just had to hear what the new cd was like. Once I downloaded and put it to the iPod, I put it on the docking station and couldn't stop dancing around the house. It was awesome. I know there are Britney haters out there, but I don't care. So needless to say I watched the Britney special on Sunday and almost started to cry then today of course I recorded the performance on GMA. It was good and she looked great. The afterword the actually went and looked up tickets for the tour and decided that I really really want to go. I have never gone to a Britney concert and I have regretted it all the time. So I was saddened that the tickets were so expensive, but I wasn't surprised. And the other cool thing is that the tour is coming here during Spring Break...what a better time to come! Well anyways.. I'm so glad to see that she's finally turning her life back around. I really hope this is a comeback and I think she will stay this way..Go Britney!

I am taking Business Psychology and our most recent chapter was on Business Teams and Teamwork. This obviously got me thinking about our creative class and our group projects. According to what I learned in class there are five principles of teamwork, so I am sharing them with you all as we crack down before our final presentations next week.

1) Teamwork implies that all members provide and accept feedback from one another.2) Teamwork implies the willingness, preparedness and proclivity to back fellow members up during operations.3) Teamwork involves group members collectively viewing themselves as a group whose success depends on their interaction.4) Teamwork means fostering team interdependence (every member dependent to carry out teams mission)5) Team leadership is very important and makes a difference with respect to the team performance.

Hopefully these will remind you to work cohesively with your group; we are all working towards a common goal! Good luck!

A small ad for Arcon Structural Engineer Inc. on the bottom of the first page of a test paper in math teacher Tom Farber's Advanced Placement calculus class at Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego.

Tom Farber gives a lot of tests. He's a calculus teacher, after all.So when administrators at Rancho Bernardo, his suburban San Diego high school, announced the district was cutting spending on supplies by nearly a third, Farber had a problem. At 3 cents a page, his tests would cost more than $500 a year. His copying budget: $316. But he wanted to give students enough practice for the big tests they'll face in the spring, such as the Advanced Placement exam.

LITERACY: How teacher who couldn't read hopes to help others

"Tough times call for tough actions," he says. So he started selling ads on his test papers: $10 for a quiz, $20 for a chapter test, $30 for a semester final.

San Diego magazine and The San Diego Union-Tribune featured his plan just before Thanksgiving, and Farber came home from a few days out of town to 75 e-mail requests for ads. So far, he has collected $350. His semester final is sold out.

That worries Robert Weissman, managing director of Commercial Alert, a Washington-based non-profit that fights commercialization in school and elsewhere. If test-papers-as-billboards catches on, he says, schools in the grip of tough economic times could start relying on them to help the bottom line.

"The advertisers are paying for something, and it's access to kids," he says.

About two-thirds of Farber's ads are inspirational messages underwritten by parents. Others are ads for local businesses, such as two from a structural engineering firm and one from a dentist who urges students, "Brace Yourself for a Great Semester!"

Principal Paul Robinson says reaction has been "mixed," but he notes, "It's not like, 'This test is brought to you by McDonald's or Nike.' "

To Farber, 47, it's a logical solution: "We're expected to do more with less."

The National Education Association says teachers spend about $430 out of their pockets each year for school supplies. This semester, Christine Van Ruiten, a teacher at E.C. Reems, a charter school in East Oakland, has spent $2,000. She scours Craigslist for free supplies and posts requests to DonorsChoose.org, which matches teachers with donors.

Founded in 2000 by Charles Best, then a Bronx teacher, DonorsChoose has funded about 65,000 projects totaling $26 million. Best calls it "a more dignified, substantive alternative for teachers than selling candy door-to-door — and certainly than selling ad space on final exams. That's crazy."

I think my biggest flaw as a human being is my skill at prograstinating. Since the dawn of man (this man) I have prograstinated with everything. I think the only thing that I have completed early is birth. It is as if there's this zombie in my body that takes over whenever I try to work on something before its due. If I am pressed for time I am brilliant, but give me a week to complete something and I'll stress over it not being done for a week and then complete it in the waining minutes. If I have time then I allow myself to get distracted. I can't explain it. I'm not lazy, I just get bored fast. It happens to me in everything I do. Sometimes when I eat I get tired of eating before I am full. That is a horrible cross to bear. So this is my execration for rehabilitation to cure my prograstination fascination.

People say that you learn everything you need to know in Kindergarten- I disagree. Everything I need to know I learned from my sister. She taught me confidence and compassion. She taught me to keep my temper. She taught me what it feels like to be so proud of another person you think your heart is just going to burst.

We’ve always been this way though. It drives our parents crazy. When we were younger, we ignored the other kids on the block, at holidays we would hide together in the bathroom. We had a code that no matter what, we would never rat each other out to Mom. She came to me with bumped heads, grazed knees, when the other girls made fun of her. I helped her with her homework, and made sure her socks were on the right feet. We would fight, and then make up and giggle all through the night.

As we got older, we began to find our own identities, especially at separate high schools. When I got my car, I dropped her off at school every morning and picked her up after, I took her out with my friends at night. I was there for her first beer and her first break up. I left for college and thought things would change, they didn’t. She followed me up here- wouldn’t even apply anywhere else- and in the past two years we’ve grown even closer. She can make me smile like no one else and laugh when all I want to do is cry. She loves me at my worst, my meanest. She picks on me- for my own good of course, and holds my hand when I’m scared. I cook for her, give her money when she comes up short, take care of her when she’s sick.

I’m constantly taking care of my little sister, and I don’t know how I’ll get by without her.

IT’S CHRISTMAS!Yes I will admit I’m defiantly one of those people who can’t wait for Thanksgiving to pass because then I can officially start getting ready for Christmas! I hang my decorations and start making my list but most of all I start chowing down on holiday sweets. Everybody always says people gain weight over the holidays so I picked some of my holiday foods and looked up the calories in hopes in this year, I’ll just say no!

All and all nothing looks too bad, but think about putting them all together (and look at how small the portions are here... whens the last time you only had 2 oz of stuffing!) all i gotta say is no comments when i come back and my clothes are a little tight! haha

I don't think anyone would deny that this is a funny ad. But, is it effective. I shared this commercial with some guys at work and we were talking about it and nobody could remember what the product was. Now one possible reason could be that it doesn't directly connect the lines as to what is being advertised, but there is another possibility. It seems that larger brands are able to take more risks when creating their advertisements. For example this ad Snickers ad:

Both are funny ads dealing with football, but one clearly connects the dots, while the other is still a little hazy. When you think about it there are a lot of ads like this. Funny and entertaining, but in the end you don't really remember what's being advertised, which is the principle objective of advertising.

Hey everyone! I hope all of you had a nice Thanksgiving break with your family and friends. I definitely wish it lasted a little bit longer, but we only have two weeks to go! whahoo!

I know Whitney is obsessed with postsecret.com and I absolutely love that website as well but I just discovered another website that is amazing!!!

It's called 'Found Cameras and Orphan Pictures.'

When you find a random or lost camera, old photos or even memory card, you can post the pictures onto the blog and explain where and when you found it. People that have lost cameras can go to the blog and look at locations where cameras have been found. Anyone can view these posted pictures via the blog!

There are success stories on the blog of people actually getting their cameras (and memories!!) back.

I love this blog because people turn in cameras from places all around the world and it's like I'm getting a peek of what random peoples lives are like through pictures.

Everytime I look at the blog, I hope that I see people in the pictures that I actually know!

For all of you Brittney fans, today is a big day for her, she turns 27 and just announced that she will be going on tour in 09, the title of her tour is "The Circus, Starring Brittney Spears." I am not a huge Brittney fan my self but I must say she has made huge turn around. She interviewed the other night for the first time since she literally went crazy, "I don't like going out. I hate clubs. I hate being around too many people. I love my home and staying in bed and watching "Dancing With The Stars" or reading a Danielle Steel novel. I'm kind of boring." From her interview you almost feel bad for her, i'm glad she's back to normal!

My band, American Science will be playing a show at Bird's Aphrodisiac Oyster Shack. Its on the corner of Tennessee and Bronough. We're playing with 3 other bands but come early because we want to finish up a little early so we can party too. Not sure of a cover but it wont be anything more than 5$ and if that's too steep for you anyhow you are more than welcome to stand outside and watch us through the windows, I'm sure it will be plenty loud. It would be nice to see some of your faces out and about but if not I understand it's a busy time for everyone. Don't Die Cindy is in town from Panama City and we hope to tour with them after I graduate. The two other bands are on tour and should be fun to play with and watch. So if you need a study break or some ballin' oysters and a beer, swing by, we don't disappoint.

Also, if you're looking for something to do on Thursday night, we are playing at the engine room (formerly the Beta Bar) with Go radio and Mayday Parade

That should be no surprise. Apparently we’ve been in a recession since December of last year. Other countries are well on their way too (Germany has declared that it’s in a recession as well and it’s predicted that France and Italy will soon follow).

This is kind of depressing, especially with finals looming. So, I found articles on the positive side of a recession. “A recession is the ebb part of the natural ebb and flow of the U.S. economy.”

10 Reasons to Love a Recession - (according to Bankrate.com) Family Dinners Shorter Lines at the Pump Less Junk Mail More Coupons Free Fitness Bargain SUVs Business Startup Opportunities Growth in Gardening Musical Inspiration New Perspectives

Perhaps the greatest boon of a recession is the time to reflect and reassess the true meaning and goals of our lives.

With Thanksgiving just last week, and the holiday season approaching, what great timing!

Seriously, there is a bight side to this: we are about halfway through it I hear…

As Ad Age points out, BBDO’s loss of Pepsi will be a major psychological blow to the agency. Omnicom did well to keep the business in its network (the account is off to TBWA/Chiat/Day). But none of the coverage says why the brand chose to give BBDO the pink slip. Here’s one theory: BBDO was too expensive.

To read the press, you’d think that BBDO and Pepsi have been in a long, drawn-out, hair-pulling drama since about 2004. That was the year CEO Andrew Robertson fired creative chief Ted Sann without telling Pepsi.

Then Sann’s replacement, David Lubars, made himself the star of a decidedly mixed profile in New York mag, in which he was portrayed as a vitamin-popping workaholic who objected to the author calling Phil Dusenberry and Charlie Miesmer for comment. But I’m going to bet that this was less of a soap opera and more of a financial issue. Take a look at Pepsico’s income statement:

* Revenue rose from $10.2 billion to $11.2 billion in the last quarter. * But net income went down, from $1.7 billion to $1.5 billion.

Isn’t that interesting — sales went up but Pepsico still managed to make less money.

A look at the line marked “Selling General & Administrative” gives the explanation, that’s the line where ad agency bills are recorded. That expense rose from $3.4 billion to $3.9 billion.* The results were similar for the first nine months of the year.

What this means is that although Pepsi’s advertising is getting people to buy more products, the ads are actually becoming more expensive than the extra sales they’re adding on. Pepsi spent $1 million just to redesign its logo for instance (although that cost was expensed to the Arnell Group, another Omnicom shop.) Not all of this money was spent on BBDO, of course — it covers all Pepsico’s shops on all its brands. But that’s the financial environment Pepsi is operating in.

So here’s my advice to TBWA/C/D: Make sure you bill at a significant percentage less than your sibling shop in Manhattan. Otherwise you won’t hold that account for very long.

Someone at my work sent out this email with all of these odd ads from the 1930s. I thought they were hilarious yet a little disturbing so I wanted to share them with you all. My favorite one is the Camel ad that says "More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette!" Its crazy to think that these were the things they were actually advertising! Check out the Lysol one...GROSS! I was wondering if some of these were made up, then I saw the tapeworm ad and realized they were real because I remember my Freshman U.S. History teacher telling us about how women used to eat tapeworms as a diet trick! The rest of these are just as crazy!

Monday, December 1, 2008

Despite the fact that most people think I'm pretty serious, I love to laugh. Humor has always been something that I'm attracted to. But it's interesting how different everyone's sense of humor is. How can one thing make someone laugh so hard the want to pee their pants, and another person barely crack a smile?

I guess that's why it's a tricky line for advertisers, as seen in this article. While the jury is still out on whether or not humor is an effective advertising tool, I can tell you that if it was up to me, I would find it guilty...of being awesome. This is my current fave funny commercial...

Laughter's health benefits are also still undecided: "The jury is still out," says Robert Provine, a University of Maryland professor and author of Laughter: A Scientific Investigation, "and more work needs to be done." But the initial results are very encouraging. All the suggestions are that laughter is indeed good for you. So get those convulsions going and chuckle yourself to health."

So as exam week starts, and your stress level rises, take a minute to laugh.Here are some videos for all kinds of funny....

So I did my first ever "Black Friday" shopping and it was quite an interesting experience. I woke up at 5 a.m. and went with my Mom to Wal-Mart. Little did I know once I walked in what I would see. I expected there to be a lot of people and a lot of stuff everywhere. I did not expect the behavior that I saw. Everyone was possessed by something. People were yelling at each other, fighting over TVs, purposely bumping into people with their carts...it was insane!! It was like thousands of mean kids stuck in a room together. The deals are good but that good?! I just think it is pathetic that people will act that way to get the "stuff" they need. Someone at work told me that a guy in New York got trampled by the rush of people trying to get through the door and died! That's crazy, and I looked it up it did happen! I am just in shock that it is the season for "giving" and all I saw happening was a lot of "taking."

The feeling of new love - when everything is easy and every smile is magic.

The pain of lost love - to know that what I felt was real; to be able to hurt is what keeps me human.

Rainy days & good books - snuggling up and forgetting the stresses of life.

Little kids - who remind me not to take myself too seriously and to be uninhibited.

Opportunity - to reinvent myself and the world around me, starting new every day.

It’s Thanksgiving, I had to make my list. To remind myself in the time of exams and job searches that even the losses in life are worth it. I’m not an overly patriotic person - and in actuality Thanksgiving is kind of hypocritical (in that the pilgrims were thankful for the land they stole and the Native Americans they killed) - but every Thanksgiving I think about how lucky I am to be living in this country. To be twenty-two and have endless opportunity, as opposed to twenty-two with a couple of children and a husband who could be my father. Simply by virtue of where I was born, I have a life that others can only dream of. And man, am I thankful for that.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

So over the holidays I decided to call or text everyone in my phone to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving. Well most people replied with the customary "you too" kind of thing, which was appreciated and excepted. One reply caught me so off guard I had to blog about it though. Apparently someone I know got a new phone number during the time I was gone, and I did not know so the new person replied with "Who the holy hell is this?" Which I guess if you are confused is acceptable. So I said "It's Savannah. I'm sorry I must have gotten the wrong number." Then went to walk the dogs, and when I came back and checked my phone they had left one of the nastiest voice mails ever. Now I understand how it can be annoying when people text you that you do not know, but it really isn't necessary to get THAT angry over "Happy Thanksgiving" Even if I didn't really know them, and ran into them at the mall or something I'd wish them a happy holiday. If I had kept texting them maybe, but my question to you..is to ask if there is ever really a time where it is acceptable to be completely rude to someone who did nothing but send you a holiday greeting?

Friday, November 28, 2008

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving and an even better break!

While I was home in Sunny St. Pete, I began thinking about music for some reason. I've decided to compile a list of some of my favorite songs of all time for you guys! I hope you enjoy!

In no particular order...

1) In My Room--The Beach Boys **The Beach Boys were honestly my favorite musical group while in middle school. My Mom used to sing their songs to me when I was really little and I guess something just stuck! "In My Room" has a beautiful melody and amazing lyrics so I don't see what's not to love about it!

2) Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World--Israel Kamakawiwo'ole **Israel begins this song with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and finishes it off with "What a Wonderful World". It is one of the most relaxing, beautiful, awe-inspiring songs I have ever heard. Every time I hear it I get teary-eyed. Gosh, I'm turning into a softie.

3) In My Life--The Beatles **It was very difficult for me to choose just one Beatles song, but I thought this one would definitely do! I've been very nostalgic lately because I can't stop thinking about graduation and this song touches me like whoa. Sigh, I AM turning into a softie.

4) Listen to Her Heart--Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers **I love this song for many, many reasons. First of all, I love basically anything Tom Petty puts his hand on. Secondly, I again love the lyrics. Fool, she might need a lot of lovin' but she don't need you!!

5) A Change is Gonna Come--Otis Redding **If you honestly listen to this song and don't feel exactly what he is feeling, I'm concerned for you. The emotion expressed throughout the song is definitely one of a kind.

6) Wake Up--The Arcade Fire **The song starts off with just music, then the singer begins and he has such a unique voice. Their style is definitely not something that you will hear everyday and for that, I love them! Oh and listen to the whole song because they completely change the tempo mid-song! AMAZING. : )

7) Like A Rolling Stone--Bob Dylan **Honestly, haven't we all felt like a rolling stone at one point in our life or what? I really hope I'm not alone on this one...and I don't mean seriously without a home or anything but you know what I do mean, right? Ha ha.

8) Float On--Modest Mouse **Again, I think this is one of those songs that if you really listen to the lyrics, everyone can relate to them! Basically Modest Mouse is telling us that although things may not always go how you planned for them to, everything will be fine and we will "all float on".

9) Redemption Song--Bob Marley **Just a good old anti-war song that again, I think you can completely understand how Marley feels just from listening to his voice. Every time I hear it I want to go protest for something...

10) Boys Don't Cry--The Cure **Okay, I LOVE The Cure. I had a tough time choosing my favorite of their songs but think "Boys Don't Cry" will definitely work. If you haven't heard it, hit up youtube asap! Oh and by the way, Boys DO cry.

As part of my Self Action Plan, I’ve been spending time looking at other creative people. I ran across this blog: gapingvoid.It basically is a blog by a guy named Hugh MacLeod who makes “cartoons drawn on the back of business cards". You can actually buy them. He has a section on "How to be Creative" that is pretty hilarious. And his cartoons remind me of Gary Larson, my favorite.Just thought I’d share some of his "How to be Creative" ideas.....

1. Ignore everybody.6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.7. Keep your day job.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

So for those of you who took any interest in the elections this past year...there is a hilarious video of Sarah Palin pardoning a turkey, and then doing an interview in front of one being slaughtered. The MSNBC version blurs out all the gorey stuff, but it is well worth watching.On a less ironically funny note, I am so excited about going home for Thanksgiving. This year my family and I have a agreed that we have to come up with a new dish. It can't be something that comes from a recipe. I have yet to decide what I'm going to make, but I want it to have a turkey made of broccoli in the center of. That's as far as I've gotten. I don't know what anyone else is making, but I'm scared. If it is not the most delicious Thanksgiving, it will certainly be the most memorable. If you have any suggestions for funky new dishes, hit me up. If not it will probably include Lucky Charms, Peanut Butter, a Brownie, and of course the Broccoli Turkey in the middle. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

So a few weeks ago I had an idea for a blog and I totally forgot about it. The other day I was going through my phone and found a note that said 'blog about embarrassing moment.' Then I thought OMG that was what I wanted to blog about a few weeks ago. So here I am. I have decided that embarrassing moments are probably one of the most funniest moments in your life. I have a ton of them...promise. If you really know me you realized by now that I trip about 10 times a day and by now have decided to laugh at myself every time I do it. Not only do I trip, but I'm extremely clumsy. I've gotten used to it thought. Also I don't get nervous before I get up in front of people. At first I thought it was because of the many plays I was in during middle and high school, but I have decided that its because I have had a few embarrassing moments happen on stage. The first one happened in first grade where we had this play were I was a mouse. We had two performances, one for the students of the school and one for our parents later that night. Well during the performance for the school I screwed up what I was supposed to say and started to laugh hysterically on stage. Then within a few seconds everyone was laughed. It was hard to stop, but I did and continued through the rest of the play. The second and probably worst embarrassing moment was at my high school graduation. I was Class Treasurer. I got to sit on the stage and introduce the Salutatorian. Well I got up to do my speech and at the end after I said all these great things about the Salutatorian I was going to say her name when all of a sudden I just couldn't say it. I kept wanting to say her nickname which was Evie when her really name was Evangelyn. During my practice of the speech I kept having problems saying her name and now I was on stage doing the same thing. Then all of a sudden everyone on stage was screaming Evangelyn at me and all of the 5,000+ people watching me were all laughing. Then all of a sudden I said her name and went back to my seat. To add to my embarrassment when I was walking across the stage the Superintendent shook my hand and said, "Nice Speech." My point to the story is that I think that embarrassing moments can help to become who you are today and you learn from them, well sometimes. Not only that, but when you look back on them you might not be able to control your laughter.

PS: the best thing about my failed graduation speech is that I have it on DVD sometimes is pretty scary/hilarious to watch

From the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/24/business/media/24luxury.html?_r=1

“After getting through most of this year unscathed, luxury brands are suffering. Rich consumers who were relatively insulated from the economic downturn continued spending, but that has changed in the last few months. While luxury spending began to fall slightly from June, in October alone, it dropped 20.1 percent, according to MasterCard SpendingPulse, which estimates consumer spending in the retail and service sectors.That drop-off means more bad news for magazines and newspapers in the United States that had grown increasingly dependent on luxury advertising.”

Prettymuch, this also has an effect on publishers, who are now cutting back on the frequency of their publications.

“High-end advertising was one of the few strong advertising categories earlier in the year.”

“Other high-end projects, and the advertising that would accompany them, are being delayed or canceled. General Motors is postponing the introduction of the Buick LaCrosse until January, Ford is holding off redesigning its Volvo S60 sedan and XC90 sports-utility vehicle, and Chrysler has stopped production on its Aspen hybrid sports-utility vehicle. Orient-Express Hotels canceled new buildings in Miami; Cartagena, Spain; Zambia; and Puglia, Italy. Donald Trump is postponing a $300 million development in Philadelphia, and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has halted projects in Florida, Vancouver and California.”

As an intern in the media department of an ad agency, I’ve definitely noticed firsthand the impact this is having on our luxury resort clients. Some magazines are no longer being published. And client budgets are certainly less than they were last year.

On a brighter note, have a great thanksgiving everyone. Make sure to count your blessings!

In case some of you don't know, the economy isn't doing so hot right now. The big auto giants seem to feeling the effects a lot. Most recently, GM has ended it's 9 year relationship with Tiger Woods. I don't think it will hurt Tiger too much though considering he made about $100 million from endorsements alone last year. However, this is just another example of how our economy isn't doing too good right now.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. Wanted to give you all a little more insight about Turducken since I enlightened you all about it last class. From Wikipedia...

A Turducken is a dish consisting of a partially de-boned turkey stuffed with a de-boned duck, which itself is stuffed with a small de-boned chicken. The thoracic cavity of the chicken and the rest of the gaps are filled with, at the very least, a highly seasoned breadcrumb mixture or sausage meat, although some versions have a different stuffing for each bird.

The result is a relatively solid, albeit layered, piece of poultry, suitable for cooking by braising, roasting, grilling, or barbecuing. The turducken is not suitable for deep frying Cajun style (to deep fry poultry, the body cavity must be hollow to cook evenly).

Some people credit Cajun-creole fusion chef Paul Prudhomme with creating the commercial dish as part of the festival Duvall Days in Duvall, Wa in 1983. However, no one has ever verified this claim. The November 2005 issue of National Geographic magazine in an article by Calvin Trillin traced the American origins of the dish to Maurice, Louisiana, and "Hebert's Specialty Meats", which has been commercially producing turduckens since 1985, when a local farmer whose name is unknown, brought in his own birds and asked Hebert's to prepare them in the now-familiar style. The company prepares around 5,000 turduckens per week around Thanksgiving time.[1] They share a friendly rivalry with Paul Prudhomme.

Turducken is often associated with the "do-it-yourself" outdoor food culture also associated with barbecuing and shrimp boils, although some people now serve it in place of the traditional roasted turkey at the Thanksgiving meal. Turduckens can be prepared at home by anybody willing to learn how to remove the bones from poultry, instructions for which can be found on the Internet or in various cookbooks. As their popularity has spread from Louisiana to the rest of the Deep South and beyond, they are also available through some specialty stores in urban areas, or even by mail order.

While popular in the United States, they are rarely seen anywhere else in the world.

So maybe not this Thanksgiving, but definitely the next, get yourself hold of one of these Americanized dishes!

Monday, November 24, 2008

After losing my phone in P-Diddy's car in NY I finally got a new one and it's up a running! I've been trying to collect everybody's phone number again, and retake background pictures... All that has been annoying, but the hardest thing I've had to do is PICK A RINGTONE. Today, picking a ringtone is really hard! 1) Your going to hear it all the time.When your phone rings as much as mine does, you have to pick a song that you can hear 13 times a day, and not want to kill yourself... therefore,2) you don't want a song you hear all the time on the radio. If you hear the song all the time on the radio, chances are your gonna get sick of it, and dont want to hear it any more then you already do.3) lastly, your not the only person your ringtone matters too!Not only do i have to pick a song i like, that i won't get sick of, but i have to pick one my room mate can tolerate too! She and I have totally different music tastes, but the fact of the matter is, she's going to be hearing the ringtone as much as I am!For now I have downloaded "spice up your life" by the spice girls, and oldie but a goodie... but here is a list of the current top 5 ringtone downloads.

1. Whatever you like (TI) 2. If I were a boy (Beyonce)3. Right Now (Akon)4. I'm so paid (Akon)5. Womanizer (Britney)

So while trying to think of all the amazing ideas for Master Pools I thought it would be helpful to look at successful ad campaigns from the past. In doing this I cam across Ad Age's Top 100TOP 100 ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS

I admit I didn't look up all 100, but of the ones I did look more into...it gave me some great inspiration. So I decided to post it for all of you and hope that you could learn something from the masters of the past. (and make sure your not accidentally copying an already done idea!)

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Thursday, November 20, 2008

My office has decided on doing a Christmas Secret Santa gift exchange. I basically cannot wait and think it's going to be absolutely hilarious. My new co-workers and I all get along fantastically and they crack me up like no other!

All of this gift giving talk got me thinking about the one thing we are all guilty of...re-gifting! I was telling my coworkers that I absolutely HATE HATE HATE bath sets! What is the purpose of that? Yes, I know it is supposed to make you want to relax and go take a soothing bubble bath or something like that, but I am not all about it. I already have soap, thank you, and do not want to get some nasty rose-smelling stuff.

I know this seems a bit extreme but I feel as if a bath set is one of those items that you give to someone who you really don't know very well. "Oh, Joan? Well, I just met her but I think she'd LOVE some lotion and soap. PERFECT!"

The only good part about receiving a bath set, in my opinion, is the beauty of being able to re-gift such a beast. Happy re-gifting, friends!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Traveling for the holiday? I know most of you are!!!! Keep these exciting travel games in mind for when you are feeling tired or just want to have some fun until you arrive to your destination. You may recall some of them:

1.Connect the DotsEach player takes turns drawing a line to connect two dots, either horizontally or vertically. If a player makes the line that completes a box, that player puts their initials in the box. Once all the dots are connected, the player with their initial in the most boxes is the winner!

2.Hangman

3.Tic-Tac-Toe

4.Car Search GameThis game can be played by 1 person or a whole group for a cooperative effort or a competition. The main goal is to mark off the names of cars as you see them.

5. US License Plate GameSee who can spot the most cars from different states across the U.S.

Once you are with the family, remember the following and make your Thanksgiving memorable:

1. PicturesTake a family picture –silly poses are always the best.

2. Family GamingPlay a game with the entire family.

3. Handmade Gift IdeasCreate a handmade gift for your parents/loved one that comes from the heart. Gifts don’t have to cost lots of money for them to be special. Examples: a thank you card, a jewelry box, a bracelet, or a picture frame.

4. Express you GratitudeDraw, write, paint or collage and create an artwork that expresses your gratitude.

5. See the World as a ChildHang out with the younger children in your family and even sit with them for a portion of dinner. You never know what kids will say these days; they are beyond creative.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Christmas season has begun with a bang. The weather’s colder and you can’t get through the mall without having your foot crushed under the heel of a cell phone obsessed shopper or being rung out by a cashier who is more interested in her half masticated chewing gum than your purchase. I can barely survive without a few choice swear words. Maybe patience isn’t my strongest virtue. But the virtue I’m going to work on this season, is tolerance. And I don’t just mean tolerance for the man who smacks you in the ear with his shopping bags. I mean tolerance for different religions and ethnicities and even, sexualities. After all the saying goes, “peace on earth and goodwill towards men” . It does not say, peace on earth and goodwill towards men, but not those who like other men or who practice Islam .

You don’t have to like the lives or decisions others choose to make, just as you don’t have to like the horrible reindeer sweater your Aunt Mildred wears. But is it too much to ask just for a month, if Americans can forget their differences and embrace the similarities in all people and religions? I know I may sound a little hippy dippy here, but any change is for the better. Maybe stop using the word “gay” as slang for “uncool”, or not give the turbaned passenger on your flight home a dirty look. (I often have to remind myself that Islamic does not mean extremist.) The anger or fear you see in yourself is often reflected in another person’s eyes. It’s not an easy thing to do, it has become ingrained in us to fear that which we do not know. I might not succeed every time in changing my perceptions, but every time I do, I’m a better person for it.

It's sort of the point of advertising isn't it. Companies don't know the best way to articulate who they are, what they are, and why anybody in the world should care. And thats when we become useful. Today when I was driving home from class I was inspired. After listeninh to Dave Ramsey (Tallahassee 100.7), I threw in a Joe Budden CD. Joe Budden is consistently one of my top 2 favorite rappers. I normally place him at number one whenever he releases new material, but due to his lack of frequecny he sometimes falls to #2. The allure behind Joe Budden is that he is an extremely introspective rapper and often I feel that what he says represents who I am in so many ways. While this also speaks a lot about the importance of understanding you target market and connecting to them in a way that makes you number 1, that is not why I am telling you about Joe Budden. I wrote this blog to share with you the song I was listening to...

(Verse 1)I've got a ghetto gospel. It's only right considering that the ghetto was my hostel [movie reference]. Memory is gone, but I'm recalling all through high school.Even at my lowest, I was sitting on my high stool [Optimism, through despair].But that's what being high will do. Even if I wasn't able to do a thing, I was always able to toke. They told me that I would be dead before I was able to vote.Probably because me and my constituents... and all the things we did. A MRI couldn't tell you what my issue is. But through my treason came a cause that I believed in. Is it really wrong if a man has a reason? At times I felt like I had to take dough (money. I did whatever for a pesos.Being from the hood could be my scape goat! Or can it be? Because I wasn't born under a canopy, maybe I was born to fall in love with vanity. They tell me what you reap is what you sowe. So I told God I'm better than what I show. I've got to grow!

(Verse 2)Now they say that I floss (boast) too much.So?! Have I changed because I think that $1000 tee don't cost too much? All they should say is that I'm strong. Walked through the fire but came out unscathed. Yeah, I carried on! Now I carry on with Louis Vuitton carry-ons. Now they mad he on (upset that he's successful), but my blessings had a delay!(Said with pain in voice, pleading with the world to understand the way he is)Now I give my girl Esaych. I know its sorta cliche, but my plane ain't gon' never land, unless its in the Netherlands. Ask for a better hand? I tried colliding with my problems, but I never ran. That would make me a lesser man.I ain't go from not having it to being arrogant. I dreamt, woke grabbing it... just by being passionate. Some people get complacent, why? The world's just new born birds, just afraid to fly. Me? I spread my wings, inhale, and embrace that high!

(Verse 3)Part of me was gruesome. I didn't change, but I grew some. Even if I did change I welcomed it to come. People who used to be with me, used to see with me. Say I changed on them and did a 360, because I don't come around. But to me its common sense, If you want to see the other side you've got to turn around. Show the world your game face! I told them we were on the same track, but weren't running the same race. We aren't in the same space. Something won't let me slow down, I cant explain fate. But don't say I went from broke to Bourgeoisie. I'm far from high end, I just know what suits me!

Too me this song represents a lot more than just the words. It's the feelings of motivation and perseverance that are behind them. It was fun sharing something I am passionate about with you. I hope you enjoy. The bold part is the part I try to identify with the most.

I set up my Christmas decorations last night. I love Christmas and I actually love when it's cold outside. But, of course the second I took out my little Christmas tree my cat attacked it. I'm sure that anyone who has a cat knows that they absolutely love Christmas trees. So, I'm hoping that my tree is still intact when I get home from class. Here is a picture of my cat, Simba.

What is great about this internship fair is that you will actually have time to have real conversations with the recruiters. For all Ad Club members, it's free! This is a great networking opportunity as well. Please RSVP to Joe if you want to sign up for a time slot. We will have a list up of all the agencies very soon.

I've been looking a lot into making business cards lately and there are tons of them that are very creative. It doesn't really take much to think of a good idea, the funds are a different issue though. Here are a couple that I like:

Creativity

“It’s like washing a pig. It’s messy, it has no rules, no clear beginning, middle or end: it’s kind of a pain in the ass, and when you’re done, you’re not sure if the pig is clean or even why you were washing a pig.” - Luke Sullivan